SCAMS AND PROTECT YOUR INDENTITY

Bogdan Rudnytski interviewed Svitlana Novotarska from The Australian Tax Office... Scam Alert! The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is warning people to be on the lookout for a malicious scam that intimidates taxpayers into paying a fake tax debt over the phone. According to the ATO, this scam is particularly concerning because it threatens taxpayers with legal action or arrest if they do not immediately hand over money and their personal financial details over the phone. If you receive a call from a person claiming to be from the ATO and are concerned about providing personal information over the phone, you should ask for the callers name and phone them back through the ATOs switchboard on 13 28 69. Verify the legitimacy of a communication You can check on any communication that you arent sure about, or report a phone scam, by phoning us on 1800 008 540. Report an unsolicited email You can report unsolicited emails claiming to be from the ATO by forwarding the entire email to [e-mail] If you've been a victim of a tax-related scam If you think you have been a victim of a tax-related scam, phone us on 1800 008 540 do so immediately, because your personal details, including your TFN, may be compromised.You should also contact your bank/financial institution as soon as possible if you provided your credit card details as part of the suspected scam. For more information, visit https://www.ato.gov.au/…/Malicious-phone-scam-targets-taxp…/

Svitlana Novotarska. Source: SBS Ukrainian